


rugby tackle

by rudeandginger



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Kara Danvers Needs a Hug, Lena Luthor Knows Kara Danvers Is Supergirl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-27 01:21:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20939933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rudeandginger/pseuds/rudeandginger
Summary: Kara has an awful day, and she goes to her bestie's apartment. She ends up napping in a certain item of clothing...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Simply because this art right here is too stinkin' cute.  
[Comfort](https://www.deviantart.com/plastic-pipes/art/Comfort-710356055)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 17 Nov 2019 - edited the name of the boarding school since we now know it's Mount Helena.

Kara was done, absolutely one hundred percent -done- with the day. Snapper had done nothing but verbally abuse her, her articles had been literally thrown back at her for editing, and a tortured alien had committed suicide in Supergirl's arms.

//Hey, you free tonight?//  
//For you I'll try. What do you want to do?//  
//I don't care, so long as I'm not home and not...just not.//  
//Why don't you head to my place then? I'll get out of here as soon as I can and we can watch a movie or something. Or would you rather go out and have dinner?//  
//Staying in sounds great. I do like dinner, though. You know me.//  
//I'll order from that Thai place you like. Deal?//  
//Deal. You're the literal best. Best friend ever. Best best best.//  
//The way to your heart is through your stomach, I've learned that much at least.//

Perhaps she was laying on the "best friend" shtick a bit thick, but they'd gotten so close lately, and Kara absolutely would not risk spooking the wonderful woman she called her bestie by even -hinting- at the bad crush she had. She was very sure it wasn't reciprocal, because Lena was straight and also out of her league, so yes, maybe she -did- overdo the friend thing a little. But as long as Lena stayed in her life, she would do whatever, and she ignored the ominous implications of such an oath.

Kara ordered from her favourite pizza place and stuffed two large supremes down her gullet so that she could eat like a normal human around Lena later. She was totally -done- with keeping the Supergirl secret when it came to Lena as well, but J'onn read her the riot act any time he caught her thinking of it. But Rao, it was always on the tip of her tongue whenever she saw Lena. Her pulse would pound -just tell her, just tell her-, but then a movie reel would flicker on behind her eyes where she ran up to give Lena a hug, only to be rebuked by the beautiful, sharp woman who couldn't understand why a stranger was cuddling her. And then Kara would freeze up, as if she hit herself with her own breath. She knew Lena always looked at her oddly whenever it happened, but she couldn't help it, and always laughed it off.

-If I ever tell her, I'm dooming the both of us.- Kara sighed, almost a pent-up sob. Time to put those feelings in a lead-lined box so she couldn't see or feel them anymore. She ate quickly, brushed her teeth, and left for Lena's.

\--

By 9pm, Lena still hadn't come home, although her increasingly apologetic texts made up for it in Kara's eyes.

//I'm so, so sorry. These people won't shut up.//  
//It's okay. I'm just messing up your Netflix algorithm watching cartoons and random documentaries.//  
//You sneak. Look, let me order dinner for us and I'll eat when I get home. I will not be the reason my ace reporter goes hungry.//  
//You don't have to.//  
//Yes I do, because I know you've already been through my various food storage places looking for snacks.//  
//Guilty as charged.//  
//You COULD eat the kale chips.//  
//:puke emoji://  
//:devil emoji: I ordered. The vegan pad thai is mine. I got you massaman curry, okay?//  
//You're the best best best.//

Kara took delivery of the food, but only picked at it. The pizzas had taken the edge off, and she hadn't expended any energy since. Plus, she really didn't want to eat without Lena, so she put both containers in the fridge.

Yawning, she decided to turn off the TV and take a nap, because her awful day continued to punch her in the gut anytime the happy babble of the animated features she was watched quieted or ceased for a moment. The trouble was, once she got into Lena's bedroom, she realized her buttondown and jeans were not at all conducive to napping.

-In for a penny, in for a pound.- Kara sauntered over to Lena's massive closet and opened it up. Surely she could find something. Even with her taller height and broader--well, everything--she could find something to nap in, she was sure of it. Lena's bed looked so comfy, and her couch so -wasn't-.

Kara sifted through what felt like miles of suits, blouses, and other business attire before she got to the casual clothes. Still, she knew nothing would fit, nothing at all. Lena was so -tiny- overall, Kara knew she'd split any of her shirts open like the Hulk. But she loved how they all smelled. From a scientific standpoint, she knew it was just whatever detergent and fabric softener were used on Lena's clothing. But she imagined she could smell Lena's perfume drifting off the items as well, that they all smelled just like their owner, which was heaven as far as she was concerned.

She pondered flying home and just getting some sleep clothes. But what if Lena was on her way? And wouldn't it be nicer to drift to sleep with the delicate scent of Lena surrounding her? Kara shook her head. She would stay there, that's all there was to it. She opened a drawer hoping for a score, and on top, there was a dark pink sports jersey.

She pulled it out, looking at it with wonder. Yes, this would fit. Mount Helena was printed on the front, along with a logo that clearly meant snooty private boarding school. Kara turned it around and her eyebrows shot up.

"Luthor, 04," Kara breathed with wonder. It was a rugby jersey, and if Lena had worn it, she'd definitely been padded to hell at least in the shoulders and chest. Kara pulled off her shirt and bra quickly, and let the jersey slide down over her arms and head.

"Yes!" Kara grinned. It fit. It was even a little big from all the room for padding, but Kara was sure Lillian had insisted on top of the line padding while, no doubt, shrieking at Lena about how unladylike it all was.

She picked up the matching shorts, but those were never going to fit since there wouldn't have been any padding there. So she left them, taking her clothes back out to the bedroom.

Kara put her shirt and bra on a chair, then shimmied out of her jeans. Then she crawled under the covers, taking off her glasses and sighing happily. What comfort Lena's couch lacked, her bed made up for in spades. And yes, the jersey smelled wonderful. She'd just have a nap and then be fresh and happy when Lena came home.

She fell asleep within moments.

\--

Lena finally made it back to her apartment around 10. Letting herself in, she called for her friend, who hadn't answered her last few texts. "Kara?"

No answer. Lena frowned. She poked her head into the living room. No Kara, although it was clear she'd been there. Lena sighed. Her work had made her so late that Kara had left, clearly.

Rubbing the back of her neck, Lena decided to go into her bedroom and at least change into something that wasn't starched to within an inch of its life. But when she pushed the already ajar door open, she stopped dead and her heart melted.

Kara was sleeping in her bed, back to the door, wearing her old rugby jersey from boarding school.

Lena sighed softly, the smile on her face and tears welling up at direct odds with each other. Kara hadn't left, of course. She'd said she didn't want to be at her apartment. And she'd clearly tried to find sleep clothes among Lena's belongings, but only the jersey, still huge and baggy on Lena, fit her.

"Oh, Kara..." Lena exhaled, crossing over to the bed and sliding onto the vacant side. -Or should I say Supergirl,- she thought as she tucked a stray lock of hair behind Kara's ear. The glasses weren't much of a disguise in the first place, and Lena had known for a long time about her best friend's alter ego. The fact that Kara hadn't told her still remained a sour point of contention in an otherwise beautiful friendship, but Lena was used to swords through her heart and ignoring them, carrying on, being "normal".

"Mm...Lena?" Kara's eyes fluttered open.

"Ssh, just rest." Lena couldn't help herself, starched blazer or no, and she slipped her arm around Kara, laying down with her and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Kara sighed happily, slinging her arm around Lena and tugging her close. "Love you, Lena."

"Love you too, Kara."

"No, mean I -love- you," Kara insisted sleepily, pressing her lips against Lena's for just a split second.

"Tell me about it when you wake up," Lena whispered after a moment, her speech stolen when Kara's lips left hers. Her heart flared to life and threatened to beat right out of her chest.

Kara was fast asleep again, and all Lena could do was hold her close and ignore the butterflies in her stomach. -If you really love me the way I love you, Supergirl, we have to talk...-


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for throwing your comments into the void (but also my inbox). I did go ahead and write another chapter. I had half-drafted one anyway, but your words of encouragement made me decide to actually finish it up. This story is set in Season 3, by the way.

Kara woke up from her nap confused, because she was on her back and there was something heavier than a blanket on top of her. She blinked several times, and saw long, dark hair just below her chin. -Lena!-

Lena felt Kara stir and picked her head up, smiling. "Hey, sleepy."

Kara smiled back. "When did you get here?"

Lena sat up and looked at her watch. "Hm, about forty-five minutes ago."

Kara stretched, and then went to push her glasses up her nose because she couldn't see and--

"Sweetheart, you forgot something," Lena teased, the glasses in her hand. "Also, your hair tie fell out before I even got home, Supergirl."

Kara gasped, eyes wide, a look of absolute terror crossing her face. She struggled to sit up, gaze never leaving Lena's face.

"When were you going to tell me what I already knew?" Lena's voice held no anger or bitterness, it was merely a question.

Kara crumpled down again. "Please don't. Please! If they know you know..."

"If they know I know, what?" Lena furrowed her brows. Of all the ways she had expected Kara to react, fear of some shadowy "they" was not one of them.

"If they know you know then they'll take you away from me," Kara managed to whisper, eyes filling with tears. "They'll wipe your memory."

"Who says I'll tell anyone?" Lena put the glasses back on the nightstand and cupped Kara's cheek, thumb lightly stroking across her cheekbone and trying to wipe the tears away.

"They have ways of reading your mind!" Kara sobbed. "They'll know!"

"Who is they, Kara?"

"The government agency Supergirl works for!"

"Catch me anywhere near the government," Lena snarked. "Kara, darling, sit up."

Kara obeyed, sniffling and trying to find her composure again.

Lena wrapped her in a warm hug. "You don't know this about me, Kara, but I am good at compartmentalizing. Ideas, emotions, anything. I'll just put this in a box and never think of it around anyone but you."

"I'm so scared, Lena," Kara cried as she clutched her best friend closer. "I can't lose you."

"Even if these scary government theys mess with my mind, then I'll just have the pleasure of meeting you again, right?" Lena pulled away a little so she could look into Kara's eyes. "I know you'll never let me go. So maybe I won't know you for a few days, but you'll end up in my life again. If you fly on the right bus, that is."

Kara made an expression Lena couldn't easily define, burying her face in her shoulder again.

Lena just rocked her gently. Such a motherly, loving gesture didn't come naturally, but it felt right, like what Kara needed, and so she kept on until Kara loosened her hold again, looking up at her and giving her the smallest of smiles.

"Do you remember when I came home?" Lena smiled back. "You woke up, just a little bit."

Kara shook her head. "No. Did I say anything?"

Lena sighed, and her expression shifted into resignation with a bit of worry stirred in. "You said you loved me. I curled up around you and said I loved -you-. Then you said "no, mean I -love- you" and then you kissed me. On the lips." She had a sad smile quirking one corner of her mouth. "You said my name, but I'm sure you didn't mean to, that you meant someone else."

Kara was now blushing fiercely. She brought her hands to her face. "Okay, well, since this is Difficult Secrets Evening..." She let her hands drop so she could look Lena in the eye. "I absolutely meant you. I love you, Lena. I'm -in- love with you."

It was Lena's turn to blush, and she turned away slightly.

Kara caught her hand. "How could it be anyone else, Lena? I don't know why you'd think it would be. Yes, I was half-asleep, but I'm sure I felt safe and warm and loved. And in my dreams, I love you and you love me back."

Lena bit her lip, hard. She still couldn't look at Kara.

"Do you? Love me back, that is?" Kara squeezed her hand gently. "Or...or was that too much?"

Lena looked back at Kara, anguish warring with anxiety. "Yes, I love you back. Like in your dreams."

Kara's exhalation was the happiest sound Lena had ever heard anyone make, and she was shocked as Kara grabbed her up and hugged her close again. She did what she could to hold on.

"Does this mean we can go on dates now?" Kara asked happily.

"I don't know why you'd want to be seen with me like that..."

"-Lena!-" Kara let her go, sitting her back up and smoothing her hair down for her. "I want nothing more than to be -seen- with you. Let's go on a walk downtown tomorrow and hold hands or anything you want. If we kiss by the wishing fountain, whatever we wish for has to come true, so let's do that."

Lena's smile broke through, but her face was still sad. "Promise?"

"Under Rao's light, I promise." Kara couldn't bear the expression on Lena's face anymore. "Can I kiss you? For real? Please?"

Lena nodded and closed her eyes, savouring the full -feeling- of Kara, Kara -Danvers-, kissing her.

When they broke for air, Kara put two fingers down where the blazer's lapels met on Lena's chest and tugged just a tiny bit. "I can't believe you slept in this. You should change into something comfier."

Lena smiled. "While I'm asking all the questions, let me add one. Why on earth are you wearing my old rugby jersey?" She smoothed down Kara's arms as she asked it, soothingly.

"Well, I wanted to nap, and I didn't want to fly home and get sleep clothes like I intended to have a sleepover and impose, so I just went into your closet to see what you had that might fit me..."

"I think you got the one thing. Well, no, I have a really big MIT hoodie somewhere that some idiot my sophomore roommate was fucking left in the room and never came back for. It's really soft, and when it's cold it's a good outer layer that isn't a jacket." Lena smiled. "I'm surprised you didn't find it first."

"I run hot, I probably would have burned up anyway." Kara smiled back, fingering the detail on the jersey's sleeve. "Sooooo. You played rugby in high school?"

Lena grinned. "Yeah. Much to my mother's dismay and my brother's glee. Mother absolutely hated that I was doing any sport other than, I don't know, polo or crew, something completely befitting the rich bitch she was trying to raise. But I loved rugby, honestly. When I put the shoulder pads on, I felt invincible. And it was a good way to run with the other girls who liked girls."

Kara noted Lena's self-conscious rubbing behind her neck. "Hey, if it works, it works. I wish I could have seen you play."

"There are photos on a dusty thumb drive somewhere," Lena replied. "I can dig it out for you. Action shots and whatnot."

"Did you play all four years?"

Lena looked up and grinned. "Damn right I did. And I loved every second."

"You have got to stop that."

Lena frowned. "Stop what?"

"Grinning. Because it makes me want to interrupt you by kissing you." Kara booped Lena's nose, which led to another grin, which led to another kiss.

"My jersey looks good on you, Danvers," Lena said, dragging one fingertip down from the collar between Kara's breasts. "Almost like you played, too."

"Nah, the first time anyone tried to tackle me, they'd just bounce off." One side of Kara's mouth quirked up. "You intend to use that finger for good, madam, or just tracing my abs?"

"I don't see why it can't be both," Lena bantered. "But I'm hungry. I came home ready to eat pad thai, but I've been snuggling my sweet sleepy girl while she's wearing my jersey instead."

Kara smirked. "Change into something more comfy, dear, and -your sleepy girl- will go heat up dinner."

"And then we can get back to this." Lena snaked her arm around Kara's waist and kissed her, with clear intention.

Kara tried not to melt -too- much. -I'm Lena Luthor's girl now. Lena's. LENA'S. Holy Rao.-

Lena kept her eyes closed even as she pulled away from Kara, just to savour the moment a little longer.

"Rao, you're the most beautiful person ever," Kara breathed.

Lena opened her eyes and laughed. "If you say so." She reluctantly pulled herself off the bed and went to her closet to find something comfier to wear--and hopefully for Kara to pull off her easily later.

Kara got back into her jeans, and headed for the kitchen and the fridge to get their dinner going. She was happy she hadn't eaten much after all, because now she got to have a little meal with Lena. "With my girl," she reminded herself very softly as she pulled the fridge door open.

As Kara very carefully shot each of the containers of takeout with a beam of heat vision, Lena came out wearing a battered, off the shoulder shirt bearing a logo Kara couldn't place, and yoga pants. But she had something clenched in her hand, and as Kara passed her the pad thai, she dropped the item into Kara's free hand.

"What is it?" Kara asked, opening up her hand.

It was a small engraved class ring, and Kara looked at it in wonder.

"If you're going to wear my jersey, you should wear this too," Lena said softly. "That way you're really my high school girlfriend."

Kara caught her breath and slipped the ring on. Of course, seeing as Lena was so tiny, the ring only fit on her pinky finger. The stone in it was black, but it sparkled. Kara admired it on her hand.

"Looks good on you," Lena said softly. "If we'd had things like letter jackets, that would be next."

"Wouldn't fit me, though." Kara smiled and pulled Lena against her. "I like the ring and the jersey. I'll probably have to find a chain for the ring, though. I can wear it when I'm just Kara, but I can't wear rings when I punch baddies. It might hurt them more than I mean to."

Lena's throat went dry. "You'd...you'd wear it as Supergirl?"

"Of course I would. Unless you don't want me to. But I'd put the chain under my suit so it stayed safe. I'd wear it outside the suit, but I think at the speeds I fly, anything too thin might get warped or blown away." Kara smoothed Lena's hair back from her face. "But if you don't want me to, I won't."

Lena buried her face in Kara's shoulder. "I do...I want you to..."

Kara sighed sadly. "No one's wanted to acknowledge a relationship publicly with you, have they."

"...no."

"Yay, I'm first." Kara kissed the top of Lena's head. "Nice to be first sometimes."

Lena lifted her head and kissed Kara carefully, trying not to smear her tears on Kara's cheeks.

"You know, I didn't eat my dinner because I wanted to have it with you," Kara said softly when Lena broke the kiss. She wanted to lighten up the mood just a little.

"I have never deserved you." Lena laid her head on Kara's shoulder.

"I have never deserved -you-." Kara tugged Lena gently to sit down and pushed the takeout container in front of her. "Tell me about your day?"

Lena related her obnoxious day dealing with grumpy old men of one stripe or another trying to dictate what she could and couldn't do with her own company, and Kara revealed Snapper's bad behaviour as well as the tragedy while she was Supergirl.

"Snapper Carr is on probation," Lena growled when Kara stopped talking, "and that's all there is to that. I will call over in the morning to confirm."

"Lena, he'll just be even more awful if you do," Kara pleaded.

"I will have a -violence-free workplace- at CatCo Media," Lena almost snarled.

"Could you maybe just... require some de-escalation training for the whole company?" Kara looked anxious. "I just...I don't want him to take it out on anyone if it gets back that my girlfriend, who owns the company, heard about how he treated me."

Lena deflated. "You have a point. I'll do whatever you suggest, darling."

"I'd like to suggest you call me darling some more," Kara smiled. "And any other pet names you want. Please."

"Okay, darling." Lena smiled back and laid a sweet kiss on Kara's lips.

Kara's phone, of course, chose that moment to ring with a tone that wasn't her normal one.

Lena made a face. "That ringtone finally makes sense."

"I'll be right back, okay?" Kara supersped into her suit, laying the jersey across one of Lena's shoulders and putting the ring on the counter. "Don't start any work or anything, okay?"

"Okay." Lena closed her eyes happily as Supergirl kissed her goodbye and flew away out the nearest window.

Thankfully, the situation that required Supergirl was easily solved, and when Kara returned, she found that Lena had cleaned up what remained of their dinner and was waiting with wine and cheesecake.

"Where were you hiding this?!" she asked Lena with glee.

"I wasn't. But I can get anything in this town that's already made delivered in fifteen minutes or less." Lena winked. "I know you have to eat a lot to keep your powers up. Hopefully this will do it for now."

"You have to have a slice too," Kara protested, slicing into it herself and serving one up for Lena. "I can't just eat the whole thing in front of you, that's so rude."

"If you insist." Lena smiled and got an additional fork out of the drawer.

"Oh, hang on." Kara sped out of the suit and pulled the jersey back on, along with some lounge pants she'd grabbed from her apartment on the way back, and put the ring back on her pinky.

"Nice pants. Didn't bring a full outfit?" Lena asked, fork poised over the dessert.

"You had something better," Kara said warmly, hugging herself to indicate the jersey.

"Guess it's yours now," Lena hummed, amused.

"No, it's yours, I just want to wear it sometimes when I'm over and I...I want the -feeling- of you to surround me," Kara tried to explain, haltingly. "That's--that's why I wore it in the first place tonight. So you could cuddle me after my awful day without actually being here."

"Oh, Kara..." Lena's eyes were welling up again.

Kara held out her hand across the table, and Lena took it, squeezing hard to try and stop her tears from falling.

"Oh, don't stop eating just because I'm weepy," Lena said after a moment, once she noticed Kara had put her fork down.

"My girl's upset," Kara replied. "I can stop shoveling in the calories for two seconds, honest."

"They're happy tears. I like being your girl..."

"I like being -your- girl. I could get used to it real fast."

They both resumed eating their cheesecake.

"Let's go to bed," Kara said once she'd finished her last mouthful. "I'm done with today twice over."

"Do you want to sleep? It's been pretty exhausting for both of us." Lena cleared away the tin and dishes quickly.

Kara came up behind her and folded warm arms around her. "Would you be very grumpy if I said no?"

Lena managed to turn around, crossing her wrists behind Kara's neck. "No, I think I'd be delighted..."

Kara absolutely had to kiss that mischievous smile, and then she totally had to lift Lena up so her legs would wrap around Kara's waist. Now that her girlfriend was portable, Kara carried her into the bedroom.

Lena buried her face in Kara's shoulder again. "You don't want to know how much this turns me on, being carried and all."

"Ah, but babe. I -do- want to know. Quite badly." Kara laid Lena into the bed, where she had been.

"Oh my god, keep calling me that," Lena sighed happily. "Please."

"Whatever you want, babe." Kara crawled onto the bed and hovered over Lena on her hands and knees.

Lena's response was to curl her hand around the base of Kara's skull and bring her down for a strong, passionate, longing kiss, the first of many that night as they found the solace and warmth they'd been missing in each other's arms.

\--

"Welcome to the DEO, babe," Supergirl said to Lena, walking in with her, hands intertwined firmly.

Alex was the first to see them, and she stopped dead. "Oh, shit."

"I'm here to fill out some paperwork regarding my girlfriend?"

Kara figured she could die just because of Lena's elegant eyebrows, raised just enough to indicate acquiescence with her request.

"Yyyyyes...okay, I will...go get that," Alex managed to eke out, turning on her heel and walking back into the control room, Kara and Lena right behind her.

"Oh my god," was Winn's only remark as they stepped into the room.

"Well, -that- finally happened," Vasquez said, elbowing Winn. "About time."

J'onn walked in a moment later, looked around with alarm, and then suddenly doubled over in pain.

"Oh, for the love of god," Lena snapped. "I'm a -Luthor-. Do you really think my virulently anti-alien brother didn't train me in -elementary- mind control resistance, especially when it comes to Martians?" She arched an eyebrow, and yep, Kara was either dead or gay...or dead of gay. "You know why I'm here, J'onn, and I know about the threats you've made regarding me in the past. I advise you not to try and make good on them. Just hand me the damn paperwork so I can notarize my loyalty to my girlfriend, please."

Alex scurried in a moment later with a clipboard. "Okay, so there are like eight of these. Let me just walk you through the basics of them."

"Kara," J'onn hissed at her once she'd come over to stand by him since Lena needed to let go of her hand to sign. "What have you done?!"

"I didn't -tell- her, J'onn. She's known for -forever!-"

"Certainly since you showed up with your -cousin- in my office like my absolute nutbar of a brother didn't have files on you -both-," Lena called over to them. "We're evil, not -stupid-."

"You're not evil!" Kara shouted back, a little too loudly. "You're good and I love you!"

Lena gave Kara a smile that warmed her through and through. "I love you too, Kara." She signed where Alex was indicating with a flourish. "Next?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You get what you get and that's what you get. Don't whine in my inbox. This just makes me not want to give in again.


End file.
